oliver



(No Model.)

J. B. OLIVER.

ENVELOPE EOE MAILING BA'E E ARTICLES.

Patented Mar. 3,1885.

"hVEElEE- (Bmwa m Warren dramas Parent @rrrca.

JAMES B. OLIVER, OF SENVICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOPE FOR MAILING BARBED ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,100, dated March 3, 1835.

Application filed March 19, 188}. (No model.)

To riZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. JAMES B. OLIVER, of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Envelopes for Mailing Barbed Articles; and I do hereby declcar the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention is designed to afford a convenient package or portfolio for carrying samples of fencebarbs or barbed strips and other pointed articles whose sharp andjaggcd edges make it desirable to inclose them in such material that the covering be not pierced or torn, and that they may be handled and mailed without danger to accompanying matter. It has also for its object to afford a sample showcard for such articles.

I will now describe my invention, so that others skilledin the art to which it appertains may manufacture and use it, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and form ing part of this specification, in which Figure l is a plan view ofmy improved portfolio, showing it open and in position to be used as a sample show-card. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the portfolio when closed,

part of one of the leaves being separated to show its construction.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts wherever they occur.

My improved sample-portfolio. is made of two or more leaves or sheets, a, hinged or joined together, so that they may fold over upon each other in the manner of a portfoliocover. These leaves a are made of thin sheet metal, and preferably covered on one or both faces with cloth, card-board, or other suitable material, the object of which is to add to the strength and beauty of the portfolio without materially increasing its weight and rigidity.

In the drawings, b represents the metallic sheets which form the body of leaves of the portfolio, and c the cloth or card-board covering glued or otherwise secured to one or both sides of each of the sheets b. The leaves of the portfolio are joined by athird smaller sheet or strip of covered metal, b, interposed be tween the edges of the larger sheets and connected thereto by wire or a continuation of the cloth or board covering of the leaves I), or

otherwise, as preferred.

Ifdesired, the metalcovered sheet b may be omitted, and a flexible cloth back be substituted; but I prefer to use it, since when the rortfolio is filled with samples the piece I) will keep the sides parallel. Both sides of each of the metallic sheets 11 may be covered with card-board; or oneside may be covered with cloth and the other with card-board; or the sheet metal may be bare on one or both sides, as preferred. There may be as many sheets or leaves in the portfolio as desired, each being adapted to fold upon the one adjacent.

In use the samples of barbs or fence-strips or other articles are preferably secured to the leaves a of theportfolio by suitable fastenings, d. The leaves may then be folded together and fastened in any desired way, so that the samples may be on the inside of the portfolio. (See Fig. 2.) A secure and convenient package is thus formed.

The fastenings (Z may be of any suitable form or material. I prefer, however, to use fieXi' ble wires,which are passed through theleaves of the envelope, or through one or more of the several laminae of the leaves, and are twisted about the samples on the face of the envelope. In the latter case the wires may be fixed permanently through the metal of the leaves, and be covered on the back with cardboard or cloth. This is the form illustrated in the drawings, and I prefer it,because it gives a smoother and better finish to the back of the envelope. I do not, however, desire to limit myself to any particular form of fastening.

If it be desired to use the portfolio as a sample board or case, a loop or ring, 0, may be at tached to one of the leaves, so that the portfolio may be hung thereby upon a hook or peg. In such case the weight of the leaves will keep the portfolio open and expose its contents to advantage. The hook, loop, or ring 0 may also be used as a fastening device to keep the case closed by putting it over a button, g, on the opposite leaf.

The advantages of my improvement areits portability, strength, and convenience. The barbed contents cannot pierce through the metallic sides of the portfolio, and for this reason it is especially useful fortransmitt-i n g articles through the mails, since itpcrfectly meets the requirements of the United States Government that all barbed or pointed articles shall be so secured for mailing that their edges may not become exposed and injure the mail-bags or their contents. It is also adapted for use as a sample show-card for hanging up toview on the wall or other place, and in this respect issuperior to all other packages for mailing such samples known to me, which consist of tin boxes of various shapes in which the pointed samples are contained loosely.

I am aware that covers and backs of books have been strengthened by sheets of metal,and I do not Wish to claim the same or equivalent articles; but,

Having thus described my improvement, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An envelope for barbs or other pointed articles,having metallic sheets hinged together 20 and capable of folding on each other, said sheets being provided with fastenings for securing the barbs thereto, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. An envelope for barbs or other pointed 25 with fastenings for securing the barbs thereto, 30

substantially as and for the purposes specified. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of March, A. D. 1884.

JAMES B. OLIVER.

Witnesses RoBT. GARLAND, FRANK OoNN ELL. 

